Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/356

336, in the view of the experimenters, for the subject to see anything. It was found, however, that a variation in the angle at which the object was held, the addition of a further covering to the head, or the interposition of a screen, interfered with success. It is quite clear therefore that in these cases—as indeed in nearly all those hitherto reported by careful observers—the supposed power of "clairvoyance" had some relation to the normal organs of vision. Moreover the experience of the investigators of the Society for Psychical Research has led them to the conclusion that there is no method of bandaging the eyes, without risk of injury to those organs, which will effectually preclude normal vision. We gained our most instructive lesson with a subject named Dick, a pit lad. Dick, who had given successful exhibitions of his powers on platforms in the North of England, was brought to us in 1884 for examination. The method of bandaging practised by his manager was as follows: a penny was placed over each eye, ostensibly to protect the organ from sticking-plaster, strips of which were applied copiously over the orbits and the surrounding features. A handkerchief was then tied tightly over all. Under these conditions Dick correctly described objects held in front of him at a considerable distance. The bandaging seemed to be effective and normal vision appeared impossible. It was observed, however, that Dick was most successful when the objects were held directly in front, and a little above the level of the